SCUBA made me a better swimmer

[SNorman]

OK, when everybody argues are training here one of the things that is repeated often is that we need higher swimming standards, we should require students to be better freedivers, etc. in order to be certified.

Well, before SCUBA I swam a bit but never freedived. I tried to dive to the bottom of a swimming pool a few times but never could clear my ears, and never really knew how or was told how so I didn't try much.

After getting experience with clearing my ears on SCUBA which is much more relaxed as you don't have to worry about running out of air I can now do it freediving to the bottom of a pool... not much, I know, but I'm sure I could keep going. I think SCUBA has made me very comfortable just being underwater in general. I have been practicing swimming across the pool underwater, and if I make it to the other end and I can keep going, turn around and go back as far as I can. Just doing that has made me more interesting in freediving and I'm looking forward to doing some of it on my trip coming up in addition to SCUBA (since I'm going with a bunch of people who don't dive, but I'll be going snorkeling with them).

And in our class we did spend one day in the pool freediving, and I think that's what got me started wanting to get better at it.

 

[spectrum]

Swimming is swimming in terms of standards. What you desrcibe is skin or free diving. I agree that it's a much neglected fundamental. My opinion.

Pete

 

[Vegas]

I've learned things from scuba diving that has made me a better swimmer too.

I like to swim laps for exercise - (it's soothing, quiet, and I don't get all sweaty)
anyway...as I learned about breathing, and carbon dioxide build-up, I realized that when I swam laps I never exhaled completely.

I began to exhale more air as I swam, letting my lungs empty before inhaling again, and was pleasantly suprised! I had a lot more stamina and was able to swim for a much longer time before I'd get tired.

 

[Badger Matt]

Hate to get out of our lane here...but I believe SCUBA is making me a better runner as well. Deeper, fuller, and more complete inhaling along with full exhaling seems to give me better stamina...and I freakin' hate running...

 

[TSandM]

GUE classes have made me a better swimmer . . . I was forced to learn! I've always been comfortable enough in the water, but I never swam very well, and never swam freestyle at all (couldn't master the breathing). Because of the swim tests GUE requires, I got some coaching, and I've spent some time swimming laps, and to my amazement and delight, I have mastered the freestyle. I can also do 60 feet underwater, which I couldn't do two years ago. The things diving leads to . . .

 

[ScubaTexan]

Scuba diving has definitely made me a better swimmer.

 

[nolatom]

I don't know as it's made me a better swimmer, but swimming can help you pick up some diving tips. Out at FGB recently, I would get back in after a dive with swim goggles and cruise the upline and dive deck area, and watch the "human rebreathers" who were finishing up long after I'd completed my dive.

If you watch them, you can pick up a few ideas on economy of motion, breathing rates, how they approach the boat and ladder, etc etc. Kind of a free tutorial, and cool to watch divers appear out of the distance anyway. Also, cool to be swimming way out offshore anyway.

And if the DMs on the dive deck have a question about who's where, or if you see someting that they can't (like the camera line needs to be pulled up), you can chime in and help out.